This poster was designed for the US Army Bureau of Public Relations during the Second World War. It is one of a group of posters printed by the Bureau in the second half of 1943, all intended to encourage people to conserve those materials most needed for the war effort. This poster highlights the need for large quantifies of plywood in the construction of Army and Navy cargo planes. Other posters from the same group focus on demand for metals for use in planes, tanks and guns.

Plywood was used in huge quantities in the construction of Second World War aircraft and plywood planes were among the most successful of the war (most notably the British de Havilland Mosquito, which was the highest flying, fastest plane of the war). In the United States plywood was particularly important in trainer planes, cargo planes and gliders. Moulded plywood was used for both whole plane fuselages, and also for smaller parts such as wings, cabin linings, petrol tanks and pilot seats. The most famous American plane of the Second World War, Howard Hughes’ gigantic (and ultimately unsuccessful) ‘Spruce Goose’ was constructed of moulded plywood.